India-Sri Lanka to have third round of bilateral talks in Delhi today

The third round of ministerial-level bilateral talks between India and Sri Lanka will happen on October 14 in New Delhi. The meeting is aimed at finding a solution to some of the important issues between India and Sri Lanka and top of the list is the fishermen issue between the two countries.

According to the Sri Lankan government press release, they state that already several positive steps for improving the relationship between the two countries have been taken up by both the sides. Now, the agenda of the meeting will focus on insisting the Indian government to stop the bottom trolling fishing that is done by the Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, who are often arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

Earlier, to sort out the fishermen issue and to direct them towards alternate fishing options, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had said that the Indian government has allocated 15 billion rupees to provide a solution to bottom trolling fishing and introducing alternative fishing options.

For nearly 35 years due to the Sri Lankan civil wars the fishermen of India have been facing a lot of hardship. Fishermen's arrest and seizing of trawlers have become a common scenario between the two countries. At present 47 Indian fishermen and more than 140 boats are in Sri Lankan custody.

Hence, pointing that the bottom trolling in the region will cause a lot of damage to the sea bed and sea life in the region the meeting between the two ministerial level leaders will focus on the need to preserve the breeding sites of coral reefs.

Other than this, the team will also discuss about the ways to manage the International maritime line and how to avoid the crossing of borders by the two sides.